10 Random Facts You Didn't Know About Sleep

Posted by Melissa Bamberg
on
November 17, 2014

Feeling a little sleep deprived lately? Whether you’re passing the time to get through another sleepless night or you want to read about other sleepless souls, here are 10 random facts about sleep you probably have never heard.

The record for the longest period without sleep is 18 days, 21 hours, 40 minutes.

Having a newborn baby typically results in 400—750 hours of lost sleep for the baby’s parents in the first year.

After five nights of partial sleep deprivation, three drinks will have the same effect on your body as six would have if you had slept enough.

An average human will spend one-third of their life sleeping.

You can only dream about faces you have already seen.

The human circadian clock is actually slightly longer than 24 hours. Hence, the internal circadian rhythm is synchronized to 24 hour day cycle by environmental cues.

There are two periods of maximum sleepiness: the late afternoon (from around 3 to 5 pm) and the end of the night (from around 3 to 5 am). There are also two periods of maximum alertness around 1 am in the morning and 1 pm in the afternoon.

You’re more likely to die from sleep deprivation before starvation. It takes two weeks to starve, but 10 days without sleep can kill you.

Getting too little sleep often makes people feel hungrier than normal, leading to overeating and weight gain.

Scientists have determined that counting sheep is ineffective for putting oneself to sleep.

Eye Covers for Sleeping—Get the Rest You Need Tonight

If you’ve been suffering through each day in a tired haze because you haven’t been able to get restful sleep, consider purchasing eye covers for sleeping assistance. Sleeping masks can block out light and help you to relax so that you can get the rest you need.

The nodpod is one of the most effective eye covers for sleeping on the market. This elongated sleeping mask attaches to your pillowcase, so you simply reach over and put it on when you need it. The mask contains tiny beads that flex and mold to match the contour of your face. Individual pods are separated by a stitching line to disperse the beads and keep the mask equally weighted.

Researchers have discovered that gently weighted products help to achieve a deep and calming sleep by releasing natural levels of melatonin and serotonin in the body. When searching for the best eye covers for sleeping, you’ll notice that the nodpod sleeping mask is the only one that carefully rests on your face, giving you the sensation of having heavy, tired eyes that puts you right to sleep.